Lee Brown makes Nathan Thompson admission after Peterborough visit which might put the Portsmouth boo-boys off in the future

But Lee Brown believes former Blues team-mate and ‘good guy’ Nathan Thompson revels in being the main focus of the Fratton Park boo-boys.

Generally, the now Peterborough defender doesn’t have to travel to these parts to be targeted by opposition fans, who are beginning to catch on to his penchant for a tumble whenever a tackle comes in.

Yet Pompey fans have an extra reason to give the 30-year-old a hard time after he turned down fresh contracts talks with the club in order to pursue a career in the Championship.

Thompson finally got his wish after Posh won promotion to the second tier last season – albeit two years after his decision to move away from the south coast.

And as he returned to Fratton Park on Saturday as Darren Ferguson’s side provided the opposition for the Blues’ penultimate pre-season friendly, it appears that time, in fact, isn’t a great healer!

Once again, Thompson – who made 78 Pompey appearances following his switch from Swindon in 2017 – was on the receiving end of some special treatment from those back in the stands.

However, his cause wasn’t helped that much following a couple of coming togethers with John Marquis.

The Posh defender should even have been sent off after dragging the Pompey striker back by the shirt following a previous altercation which saw both booked.

That prompted his substitution moments later – a decision which, unsurprisingly, went down well with the Fratton faithful.

Yet laughing at the special attention Thompson receives, Brown admitted it’s something his former team-mate probably enjoys.

He also acknowledged that he’s the type of player you want in your own team.

Brown told The News: 'I'm sure he enjoyed it really.

‘Deep down, he enjoys it - don't worry about that.

'Thommo is a really good guy, one of the nicest people I've met in football, actually.

'He's a really good guy, a good warrior, someone you would want in your ranks, if I'm honest.

'But he's a good guy, he'll enjoy that, that rough and tumble and the abuse from the crowd.

‘It's probably what every player has missed, to be honest.’